An Educational Gap Year: What the World Taught Me by Melanie Russo, who worked with Taylor the Gap to plan and prepare for her independent Gap Year. I started my 14-month long summer vacation with utter excitement. I signed up for things left and right, knowing exactly what I wanted to learn, what insights I wanted to seek, and more so what I wanted escape from back at home. Coming from a high society of lost individuals, I setout to see other worlds and finally feel at home somewhere. So, I packed my things and journeyed to volunteer in Costa…
Planning
An Internship in Washington D.C. byJoseph Caplis Getting Started in the AU Gap Program As a newcomer to the American University Gap Program this spring, I was a little unclear on what to expect. Sure, I had read all the materials provided and looked at what past students had to say about their experience, but nothing I read could have foreshadowed the excitement that was to come. The first few days were dedicated to preparing for the Internship Fair where about 50 different organizations would be coming to recruit us bright-eyed and bushy-tailed students. I walked into the internship fair…
Planning your Gap Year Airfare by GYA Staff Airfare remains one of the most expensive considerations even on academic study abroad programs. That being said, there are many ways to save money on your flight. We highly encourage you to start your airfare search early given not only the volatility of the market, but also the constant changes that the airline industries seem to be going through. Here are a few tips gleaned from years of banging our heads against the proverbial walls of travel: Know your rights! The Department of Transportation’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division lays out certainties of compensation…
Gap Year Travel Safety by Hannah Miller Traveling safely is no joke. In all honesty, half of our lists here have been learned the hard way – so please take our word from it that if the fire is hot, there’s no need to burn yourself to be sure. International & Domestic Check the medical situation Does the region you’re visiting recommend certain vaccinations or medical supplies be on hand before you arrive? Do you have any personal medical concerns that need to be addressed before you travel? Keep in mind some medications (like malaria pills) will need to be…
Dominique Robinson of Pizarts: On Breaking Ground with Dance Gap Years with Dominique Robinson One of the great things about the GYA Annual Conference is the connections we make with new people. Among the bright lights in Boston this year was Dominique Robinson. GYA Executive Director Ethan Knight noticed her smile first, and her enthusiasm followed closely behind. She’s got a passion for life, a passion for learning and a big idea: to create a Gap Year experience centered around dance and the arts. Based in NYC, she came to the conference hoping to learn and connect. Here is an…
10 Ways to Maximize Learning On Your Gap Year by Megan Lee Every morning on your Gap Year, you’ll need to wake up and renew your commitment to maximizing your learning potential every day. Now, this is no easy feat. Some days, staying in bed and escaping reality will seem like the more attractive option. But don’t fall victim to Gap Year learning exhaustion, which includes side effects that make you think sitting in your room all day on your laptop is an appropriate way to spend your time. Here are a few things you can do every day to…
What Does Responsible International Volunteering Look Like? by Annie Wendel Record numbers of students are choosing to study, travel, and serve abroad through Gap Year organizations, alternative break programs, and tour agencies. Voluntourism, volunteering and traveling at the same time, has become a popular rite of passage for high school and college-aged students. As a former study abroad participant and international volunteer, I can vouch for the personal, professional, and academic benefits of these intercultural immersion and exchange programs. These programs supplement classroom lessons through experiential learning opportunities and build student global awareness. My personal experiences have also made me…
Healthy Ways To Deal With Homesickness On Your Gap Year by Megan Lee Homesickness might be a new phenomenon for you if you never did the whole sleep-away camp thing in your younger years, but it’s inevitable. It’ll sneak up on you when you least suspect it: a photo shared online of your friends back home at one of your favorite annual events, a familiar smell of homemade cooking, the softness of a couch. The lack of a couch. The lack of one-course meals or even silent meals. Homesickness crops up in all shapes and sizes. It may be hard…
How to Identify Your Gap Year Goals by Megan Lee This probably isn’t the first time someone has asked you to identify your goals for your gap year (and probably won’t be your last either). Grown-ups keep telling you, “You need to know your goals!” And you’re like, “Cool, I get it Dad… but easier said than done!” Until now. It’s reflection-time! Not to sound too much like that great tune from Mulan, but you need to buckle down and do some serious reflection before your gap year. Ask yourself these questions and write out your answers. Yes, physically write…
A Parent’s Guide to All Things Gap Year by Megan Lee Your kid just proposed a (slightly outlandish) idea to you: “I want to take a gap year.” Maybe you’re 100% on board (you don’t need lots of convincing to understand its benefits) or maybe you’re still on the fence. It’s okay to worry – after all, you have your child’s best interests in mind, right? Regardless of which side of the support spectrum you fall in, here’s everything a parent needs to know to help their kid rock a gap year. Finances Ah, yes. Money. The necessary evil (and…